Top 10 things to do in Mexico City

Built on the ruins of the ancient Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, Mexico City is one of the oldest and largest cities in the Americas. With colonial architecture, iconic artwork, spicy cuisine, and a rich cultural heritage, there’s an endless array of activities for any interest. Here are the best things to do in Mexico City.

Centro Histórico’s hub of palaces

The Aztecs built their empire on Lake Texcoco in the Valley of Mexico—a great island city connected by canals and protected by fortresses. When Spanish conquerors arrived in Tenochtitlan in the 16th century, they destroyed the island, drained the lake, and constructed a “city of palaces” over the ruins.

Past and present blend together in the 10-acre Historic Center of Mexico City—its museums, cathedrals, and temples reveal a storied past. The Zócalo, the city’s main public square, is the second largest in the world, after Moscow’s Red Square and within a short distance of several significant sites.

Highlights include the Palacio Nacional, home to the president’s offices. The colonial building is located at the site where the palace of the Aztec ruler Moctezuma once stood, and it’s decorated with murals by Mexican artist Diego Rivera.

The Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral, built over a period of more than 200 years, is the largest in the Americas and combines Renaissance, baroque, and neoclassical architectural styles.

(These are some of the world’s most beautiful holy sites)

Xochimilco’s floating gardens

In the south of Mexico City, a network of canals weaves through a series of human-made islands in Xochimilco, the so-called “Venice of the New World.”

Xochimilco, meaning “where the flowers grow,” is aptly named for its chinampas, or floating gardens. Farmers constructed reed rafts on the lake, slathered them with mud, and cultivated fruits, vegetables, and flowers right on the water. Over time, the gardens rooted and became islands.

On weekends, trajineras, brightly decorated flat-bottom boats, carry passengers through the canals. Small boats also navigate the waterways, delivering drinks and snacks to lively passengers.

The floating city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987—the only remaining example of traditional pre-Hispanic land use of the lagoons in the Mexico City basin.

(Tour boats could help save this fragile Mexico wetland)

Teotihuacan, a city of the gods

Mexico claims more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any other country in the Americas. Among them is the ancient archaeological site of Teotihuacan, located 45 minutes northeast of Mexico City.

Lining the Avenue of the Dead, the monumental Temple of Quetzalcoatl and the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon stretch across the valley in geometric patterns—a model of urbanization and city planning that guided subsequent cultures.

The towering structures represent only 10 percent of the total surface, a testament to one of the largest and most powerful cultural and artistic centers in Mesoamerica. In fact, this site is so awe-inspiring, some people believe it was built by aliens.

(Here are 5 unforgettable day trips from Mexico City)

Art museums, from Mesoamerica to modern Mexico

Among Mexico City’s more than 150 museums and galleries, the Soumaya Museum is one of the most visited. Designed by the Mexican architect Fernando Romero, it preserves a collection of more than 66,000 works spanning 3,000 years, including pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica, 19th- and 20th-century Mexican art, and works by European masters such as Auguste Rodin, Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, and Vincent van Gogh.

Palacio de Bellas Artes is a stunning work of early 20th-century architecture located in the Centro Histórico. The palace highlights temporary art exhibits and permanent murals by some of Mexico’s most celebrated artists, including Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and Rufino Tamayo.

The Dolores Olmedo Musuem’s beautiful five-building complex displays a collection of pre-Hispanic, colonial, folk, and contemporary art, including a large collection of works by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

(The Frida Kahlo museum displays the artist’s never-before-seen letters)

Bosque de Chapultepec, an outdoor oasis

At more than 1,600 acres, Bosque de Chapultepec is Mexico City’s largest park and home to several significant historical sites. Near the park’s main entrance stands the Monument of Young Heroes, which honors six cadets who refused to surrender at the Battle of Chapultepec in 1847 during the Mexican-American War.

Follow the road to the top of the hill overlooking Mexico City, where Chapultepec Castle is home to the National History Museum. Other attractions in the sprawling park include botanical gardens, a modern art museum, Tamayo Museum, and National Museum of Anthropology.

Outside the main entrance of the anthropology museum, costumed entertainers perform the ancient rite of the voladores (fliers), in which four instrument-wielding men swing around a tall pole as if they were flying.

Coyoacán for coyote legends

One of Mexico City’s barríos magicos, neighborhoods that preserve their heritage, Coyoacán has vibrant cobblestone streets, colonial churches, and bustling markets that transport visitors back in time.

The main plaza, Jardín Centenario (Centenario Garden), showcases a fountain honoring the coyote—the animal that gave Coyoacán, “the place of coyotes,” its name. Across from the plaza, the early 16th-century San Juan Bautista Cathedral towers into the sky, while vendors peddle toys and snacks outside. Los Danzantes serves up delicious Mexican classics and a comfortable perch from which to enjoy the scene.

A 15-minute walk from the plaza leads to La Casa Azul (the Blue House), the former home of Mexican icon Frida Kahlo, which was converted into the Museo Frida Kahlo after her death. Take a bit of inspiration home at Bazar Artesanal Mexicano, which stocks all sorts of Frida Kahlo-shaped earrings, T-shirts, and purses, along with traditional handicrafts.

(6 alternative and arty ways to discover Mexico City culture)

Restaurants where the locals eat

About 50 regional cuisines are represented in Mexico City. When you’re not savoring the vibrant street-food scene, the city offers fine-dining options at modest prices.

At Guzina Oaxaca, chef Alejandro Ruíz uses fresh, organic ingredients in traditional dishes, transporting diners to the restaurant’s namesake southern state. Adventurous eaters should order the delicacy, chapulines, or dried grasshoppers.

Located in the heart of the Roma Norte neighborhood, Blanco Colima operates out of a decadent 20th-century mansion, where the blend of modern art and classical touches makes the atmosphere as exquisite as the cuisine.

Looking to taste a little bit of everything? Mexican Food Tours offers a good range of experiences, from mezcal tastings to cultural walking tours, plus cooking classes.

Día de los Muertos, an ancient tradition

Each year from late October to early November, people throughout Mexico celebrate the pre-Hispanic traditions of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. In Mexico City, neon alebrijes—sculptures of fantastical beasts—line the streets in a splash of color.

Across the city, homes, cemeteries, and public areas display ofrendas, or offerings, to dead loved ones. These altars are often draped in bright marigolds, elaborately decorated sugar skulls, photos, food, and drinks—gifts to welcome the dead back to the realm of the living.

(These paper crafts bring the party on Day of the Dead)

In 2016, Mexico City held its first Day of the Dead parade. Giant floats, colorfully costumed entertainers, and beautifully painted skeleton ladies (Catrinas) danced through the streets while thousands of joyful spectators lined sidewalks and balconies stretching from the Angel of Independence to the city’s main square. Día de los Muertos earned a spot on UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008.

(These cities go all out for Day of the Dead. Here’s where to stay.)

Templo Mayor’s Aztec ruins

Beneath Mexico City lie the ruins of the pre-Hispanic Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, and its center was the Templo Mayor. In the mid-20th century, the religious site was discovered under the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral and excavated by archaeologists in the 1970s.

Visitors can view pyramids, ceremonial platforms, and the complex’s main temples dedicated to the gods of war and rain. The Templo Mayor Museum showcases many of the era’s artifacts—which continue to be unearthed—such as obsidian knives, clay pots, masks, skulls, and urns.

(See these 6 architectural wonders before they disappear)

Puebla, a must-do day trip

Just two hours south of Mexico City, the colonial city of Puebla sits at the foot of the snowcapped Popocatépetl volcano. The enchanting historic center of Puebla—a UNESCO World Heritage site—has preserved baroque cathedrals, palaces, and azulejos (tiled houses) dating back to the 16th century.

In the evening, the lively Zócalo buzzes with life, music, and food, and the charming pastel buildings and intricately designed churches light up against the night sky. A few blocks from the Zócalo, a large artisanal market sells textiles, tchotchkes, artwork, and more.

Just a few miles away, the small town of Cholula is home to hundreds of beautiful churches, as well as the largest pyramid in the world. If you have more time to spend in Puebla, consider exploring the towns of Tochimilco, Atlixco, and Cuetzalan.